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A new species of the Neotropical stingless bee genus Geotrigona Moure from the Caribbean coast of Colombia is described and figured. Geotrigona joearroyoi sp. n. belongs to the fulvohirta species group and is distinguished on the basis of color and type of pubescence on the metasomal terga. New geographical records and an updated key to the species of Geotrigona are provided.
Apoidea, Apinae, Anthophila, Joe Arroyo, Meliponini, Neotropics, stingless bees, taxonomy
Stingless bees of the Neotropical genus Geotrigona Moure are robust, middle-sized (5–6.5 mm in body length), often black species superficially resembling some Trigona Jurine and Partamona Schwarz (
Geotrigona is related to Trigona and Tetragona Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau & Audinet-Serville, as suggested by both morphological and molecular analyses (
Table 1. Summary of currently included species in Geotrigona with information on the known sexes, nest and distribution. Sex/caste: ♀ = worker; ♂ = male; - = unknown. The distribution and nesting sites are based on
Species | Sex | Nest | Distribution |
---|---|---|---|
“fulvohirta species group” | |||
Geotrigona acapulconis (Strand, 1919) | ♀♂ | + | Mexico |
Geotrigona chiriquiensis (Schwarz, 1951) | ♀ | + | Panama |
Geotrigona fulvohirta (Friese, 1900) | ♀ | + | Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru |
Geotrigona fumipennis Camargo & Moure, 1996 | ♀ | - | Ecuador |
Geotrigona joearroyoi Gonzalez & Engel, sp. n. | ♀ | - | Colombia |
Geotrigona kaba Gonzalez & Sepúlveda, 2007 | ♀ | Colombia | |
Geotrigona leucogastra (Cockerell, 1914) | ♀ | - | Ecuador |
Geotrigona lutzi Camargo & Moure, 1996 | ♀♂ | - | Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua |
Geotrigona terricola Camargo & Moure, 1996 | ♀ | - | Guatemala, Honduras |
“mombuca species group” | |||
Geotrigona aequinoctialis (Ducke, 1925) | ♀ | + | Brazil |
Geotrigona argentina Camargo & Moure, 1996 | ♀♂ | + | Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay |
Geotrigona fulvatra Camargo & Moure, 1996 | ♀ | - | Bolivia, Peru |
Geotrigona mattogrossensis (Ducke, 1925) | ♀♂ | + | Brazil, Bolivia |
Geotrigona mombuca (Smith, 1863) | ♀♂ | + | Brazil, Paraguay |
Geotrigona xanthopoda Camargo & Moure, 1996 | ♀ | - | Brazil |
“subterranea species group” | |||
Geotrigona subterranea (Friese, 1901) | ♀♂ | + | Brazil |
“subgrisea species group” | |||
Geotrigona kraussi (Schwarz, 1951) | ♀ | + | Panama |
Geotrigona kwyrakai Camargo & Moure, 1996 | ♀ | - | Brazil |
Geotrigona subfulva Camargo & Moure, 1996 | ♀ | - | Brazil, Colombia |
Geotrigona subgrisea (Cockerell, 1920) | ♀ | - | Brazil, Colombia |
Geotrigona subnigra (Schwarz, 1940) | ♀ | - | Brazil, Guyana |
Geotrigona tellurica Camargo & Moure, 1996 | ♀♂ | - | Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru |
Morphological terminology follows that of
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:14F5E52A-0EDD-4D51-BB44-8EA7CB2E65DD
http://species-id.net/wiki/Geotrigona_joearroyoi
Figs 1–5♀, Colombia: Magdalena, Santa Marta, on the road from Bastidas to Bahía Concha, 11°15.874'N, 74°09.924'W; Dec 18, 2011, 99 m., V.H. Gonzalez (ICN).
Two workers with the same data as the holotype (SEMC, ICN).
This species belongs to the fulvohirta species group sensu
Worker: Total body length 5.2 mm (4.8–5.2 mm); head width 2.5 mm (2.4–2.5 mm); forewing length (measured from apex of humeral sclerite) 5.6 mm (5.6–5.7 mm). Head 1.3 times wider than long; inner orbits of compound eyes converging below (Fig. 4); malar area short, about 0.4 times width of third flagellomere; clypeus about 1.7 times broader than long; intertorular distance about as long as torular diameter; torulorbital distance about twice as long as torular diameter; interocellar distance 2.3 times median ocellar diameter, 1.1 times longer than ocellocular distance; ocelloccipital distance about half median ocellar diameter; scape 6 times longer than wide, about as wide as width of third flagellomere; pedicel about as long as broad, shorter than first flagellomere; flagellomeres slightly longer than broad, apical flagellomere longest; compound eye 2.9 times longer than broad; gena about as broad as compound eye in profile. Metatibia 2.7 times longer than broad with posterodistal margin distinctly projected into an angle, distal margin emarginate between projection and penicillum, corbicula on distal one-third; metabasitarsus about twice as long as broad, slightly convex on posterior margin (Fig. 3).
Integument smooth and shiny, as in other species of the genus.
Color black, including tegula and humeral sclerite, except dark reddish brown on mandible distally, flagellum (yellowish ventrally), and distitarsi. Wing membranes and veins light ferruginous, slightly dusky distally including pterostigma (Figs 1, 2).
Body pubescence black, except: inferior half of face and gena with dense, branched, short, appressed grayish setae; superior half of face, pronotal lobe, metepisternum, sides of propodeum, and metatibia basally with dark brown setae; tergum six and sterna with grayish setae. Clypeus with erect setae about 0.6 times median ocellar diameter; scape with abundant, short, erect, simple setae, about as long as or slightly longer (0.5–0.6 times) than half width of scape (Fig. 5); frons with longer erect setae than on clypeus, 1.2 times median ocellar diameter; vertex with erect setae 1.6–1.8 times median ocellar diameter; mesoscutum with erect setae about as long as median ocellar diameter, longer on anterior margin; mesoscutellum and mesepisternum with erect setae 1.2 times median ocellar diameter; metatibia with long erect setae, 2.4–2.8 times median ocellar diameter. First metasomal tergum practically glabrous, with scattered, minute erect setae on disc and denser, longer (0.5 times median ocellar diameter) erect setae laterally; remaining terga with simple, semierect to erect setae progressively increasing in density and length towards distal terga; tergum sixth with both simple and appressed, branched setae (1.2–1.6 times median ocellar diameter).
Male: Unknown.
Queen: Unknown.
Worker of Geotrigona joearroyoi Gonzalez and Engel, sp. n. (holotype depicted except paratypes in figures 3, 5) 1 Lateral habitus 2 Dorsal habitus 3 Hind leg showing outer surfaces of metatibia and metabasitarsus 4 Facial view 5 Detail of antennal scape and basal flagellomeres.
The species is named in tribute to the late Colombian tropical music singer, composer, and songwriter Alvaro José Arroyo González (1 November 1955–26 July 2011). This artist, also known as Joe Arroyo or El Joe, was nationally and internationally known for his unique way of combining a diverse array of Caribbean music styles, including salsa, cumbia, porro, soca, kompa, and zouk (
Based on the limited material available it appears that Geotrigona joearroyoi and Geotrigona fumipennis are allopatric species: Geotrigona joearroyoi inhabiting lowland dry forests in the Colombian Caribbean, Geotrigona fumipennis occupying lowland dry forests as well as montane to premontane rain forests along the western slope of the Andes in southern Ecuador (
http://species-id.net/wiki/Geotrigona_fulvohirta
Colombia: 4♀♀, Meta, Villavicencio [4°08'N, 73°40'W; 467 m], B. Colina; M. Salazar, E. Palacios. 20-04-04 [April 20, 2004] (ICN).
This species was previously known in Colombia from the departments of Amazonas, Boyacá, and Putumayo (
http://species-id.net/wiki/Geotrigona_kaba
Colombia: 1♀, Dept. Boyacá, Muzo [5°31'48"N, 74°6'36"W], 900 m, 1936, J. Bequaert collector (AMNH).
This species was previously known only from the type locality (Porce, Antioquia) in northwestern Colombia. The worker at the AMNH was collected on the western slope of the Eastern Andes in central Colombia and bears a red label indicating a holotype designation by H.F. Schwarz, who intended to name it after the department.
http://species-id.net/wiki/Geotrigona_mombuca
Paraguay: 1♀, Alto Paraguay: Parque Nacional Defensores del Chaco, Cruce 4 de Mayo, Mojón 16, 18.i.2001, B. Garcete, coll. (SEMC).
This species was previously known in Paraguay from the state of Misiones (Camargo and Pedro 2008).
http://species-id.net/wiki/Geotrigona_subgrisea
Colombia: 1♀, Huila, San Agustín, Hostal Huaka-Yo, 1°53.311'N, 76°17.812W, 1748 m; Dec 29, 2011; V.H. Gonzalez (SEMC).
This species is known from Brazil (Roraima) and Colombia (Departaments of Boyacá, Cundinamarca, Putumayo, and Tolima).
Modified from
1 | Metatibia with posterodistal margin broadly rounded, not projecting into a distinct angle or tooth; distal margin straight or weakly emarginate | 2 |
– | Metatibia with posterodistal margin distinctly projecting into an angle or tooth (Fig. 3); distal margin, between tooth and penicillum, strongly emarginate (fulvohirta species group) | 14 |
2(1) | Vertex with distinct carina behind ocelli (subgrisea species group) | 3 |
– | Vertex slightly elevated or rounded, without distinct carina behind ocelli (mombuca species group) | 8 |
3(2) | Vertex and mesoscutum predominantly with dark brown setae | 4 |
– | Vertex and mesosoma predominantly with light ferruginous setae | 5 |
4(3) | Vertex with low (~ 0.06 mm in height), somewhat vertical carina (Panama) | Geotrigona kraussi (Schwarz) |
– | Vertex with higher (0.08–0.10 mm), anteriorly directed carina, nearly covering posterior margin of lateral ocelli (Brazil, Guyana) | Geotrigona subnigra (Schwarz) |
5(3) | Wing membranes uniformly light ferruginous; scape with setae shorter than half width of scape (eastern slope of Andean region of Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador) | Geotrigona tellurica Camargo & Moure |
– | Wing membranes hyaline; scape with setae of variable length among species | 6 |
6(5) | Scape with setae shorter than half width of scape; legs with light ferruginous setae as on remaining areas of body (Brazil, Colombia) | Geotrigona subgrisea (Cockerell) |
– | Scape with longer setae, at least half width of scape, distinctly branched apically; legs with pubescence of variable color among species | 7 |
7(6) | Legs with light ferruginous setae as on remaining areas of body (Brazil: Paraná, Rondônia) | Geotrigona kwyrakai Camargo & Moure |
– | Legs with brownish-grey setae contrasting with light reddish brown setae on remaining areas of the body (Brazil: Amazonas; Colombia: Amazonas) | Geotrigona subfulva Camargo & Moure |
8(2) | Metatibia yellowish contrasting with black integument on remaining areas of body; body with dark brown to black setae except on sterna and apical terga with whitish setae | Geotrigona xanthopoda Camargo & Moure |
– | Metatibia dark brown to black as on remaining areas of body; setae of variable color among species | 9 |
9(8) | Body pubescence light ferruginous | 10 |
– | Body pubescence either predominantly whitish or black or a mixture of both | 11 |
10(9) | Interocellar distance slightly longer than ocellocular distance; wing membranes light ferruginous basally, dusky apically | Geotrigona fulvatra Camargo & Moure |
– | Interocellar distance distinctly longer than ocellocular distance (such a difference equal to half median ocellar diameter); wing membranes subhyaline, not bicolorous as above | Geotrigona mattogrossensis (Ducke) |
11(9) | Mesepisternum predominantly with whitish setae | 12 |
– | Mesepisternum predominantly with dark brown to black setae | 13 |
12(11) | Wing membranes hyaline (Paraguay; northeastern, central west, and southeastern Brazil) | Geotrigona mombuca (Smith) |
– | Wing membrane slightly ferruginous (Brazil: Pará, Maranhão, Ceará) | Geotrigona aequinoctialis (Ducke) |
13(11) | Small bees (head width: ≤ 2.4 mm); vertex with short (less than one-fourth length of scape) and thick setae; scape with setae at most one-third width of scape; metasomal sterna, especially basal segments, with brownish-grey setae; wing membranes slightly brownish | Geotrigona argentina Camargo & Moure |
– | Larger bees (head width: 2.6–2.7 mm); vertex with longer (about two-fifths length of scape) and thinner setae; scape with abundant and longer setae, about two-fifths width of scape; metasomal sterna grayish setae; wing membranes variable, hyaline or subhyaline to slightly brownish | Geotrigona subterranea (Friese) |
14(1) | Scape with long setae, at least 0.75 times width of scape | 15 |
– | Scape with short setae, at most half width of scape (Fig. 5) | 19 |
15(14) | Head (including scape) and mesosoma with predominantly light ferruginous setae | 16 |
– | Head and mesosoma with predominantly dark brown setae | 17 |
16(15) | Scape with long setae, nearly twice as long as width of scape; metasoma with predominantly light ferruginous setae; wings membrane subhyaline, slightly yellowish (Panama) | Geotrigona chiriquiensis (Schwarz) |
– | Scape with shorter setae, about 1.4 times width of scape; metasoma with predominantly whitish or grayish setae; wings membrane hyaline, darker apically (Colombia) | Geotrigona kaba Gonzalez & Sepúlveda |
17(15) | Scape with short setae, about 0.75 times width of scape | Geotrigona terricola Camargo & Moure |
– | Scape with longer setae, 1.4–1.5 times width of scape | 18 |
18(17) | Wing membranes hyaline, veins and microtrichia honey colored (Ecuador, Pacific coast) | Geotrigona leucogastra (Cockerell) |
– | Wing membranes light ferruginous, slightly darkened, veins and microtrichia dark brown (Guatemala to Costa Rica) | Geotrigona lutzi Camargo & Moure |
19(14) | Body pubescence predominantly light ferruginous; forewing light ferruginous basally, darker distally, particularly marginal cell | Geotrigona fulvohirta (Friese) |
– | Body pubescence predominantly brownish-grey or black; forewing entirely light ferruginous, not bicolorous as above | 20 |
20(19) | Scape and mesepisternum with whitish setae; metabasitarsus with posterior margin straight or nearly so (Mexico) | Geotrigona acapulconis (Strand) |
– | Scape and mesepisternum with dark brown to black setae; metabasitarsus with posterior margin slightly convex (Ecuador, Colombia) | 21 |
21(20) | Metasomal terga with grayish setae, third to sixth terga distally with distinct, appressed, branched setae (western Ecuador) | Geotrigona fumipennis Camargo & Moure |
– | Metasomal terga with black to dark brown setae except grayish on tergum sixth, second to fifth terga distally without appressed, branched setae, present only on sixth tergum (Colombian Caribbean) | Geotrigona joearroyoi sp. n. |
We are indebted to I.A. Hinojosa-Díaz for assistance with microphotography and two anonymous reviewers for comments and suggestions that improved this work. This study was supported in part by National Science Foundation grant DBI-1057366 (to MSE). This is a contribution of the Division of Entomology, University of Kansas Natural History Museum.